Meet Christopher C. Hill, Hometown Hero

By Lindsay A. Malone

Christopher is the founder of Bachelor Kitchen, an online food and lifestyle resource. Raised in Atlanta, Christopher learned early on that he was interested in and passionate about food. He attended the University of Alabama as a double major in English and Spanish and went on to complete a Master’s degree in marketing. In Tuscaloosa, Christopher worked for a variety of restaurants in the area. After pursuing a career in advertising, he continued working in restaurants until he eventually decided to take a leap of faith and move to Virginia to pursue a career working with food. In Virginia, he learned restaurant operations from a family relative with whom he opened a sandwich bistro, 3 Way Cafe. Three months ago, Christopher launched BachelorKitchen.com, an online food and lifestyle resource the features recipes, kitchen help and writing.

On June 17, 2011, Christopher hosted an event, “A Taste of the South – An Evening with Chef Chris Hill to Benefit the American Red Cross” at the Granby Theater in downtown Norfolk, Va. Christopher chose the American Red Cross as the beneficiary because, “The Red Cross is a great organization, doing great things, and it is a brand that everyone can rally behind.” In collaboration with his team, they prepared a variety of southern dishes to provide a “taste of the South” Tapas style. They made succotash hummus with flatbread, canape of pimento cheese with roasted heirloom tomatoes with bacon jam, crab laced hushpuppies with sweet chili dipping sauce, tea brined pulled pork sliders with napa cabbage slaw, speckled grits cake with sauteed shrimp cooked low country style, and bourbon-spiked peach granita with peach foam.

Christopher said that he chose to host this event because, “Seeing all the devastation, all of the heartache in the town that molded and shaped me, I couldn’t not do it. There was no choice really. It took a couple weeks to conceptualize and create a concrete plan for the event, but right away I knew there was something I could do, some way to help.”

More than 100 people attended Christopher’s benefit. He said that it was a success; they held a silent auction, sold tickets for entry and had a raffle. He said, “It was great to see people rallying around for a good cause. People helping people, that’s what it is all about.”

Fast Facts: Christopher C. Hill

Inspiration: Danny Meyer (entrepreneur), Thomas Keller (chef), Pat Conroy (writer) and his father.

Favorite Food: Softshell crabs, scallops, grits or a rack of lamb.

If he were any ingredient on a pizza, he would be the crust. He loves the crust.

Dream Vacation: Fiji

Greatest Accomplishment: Opening his own restaurant before he was 30. Next on the list is to publish a cookbook!

Most creative thing he has ever done: The menu he created for “A Taste of the South” benefit.

Favorite quote: “It’s only intangible ideas, concepts, beliefs, fantasies that last. Stone crumbles. Wood rots. People, well, they die. But things as fragile as a thought, a dream, a legend, they can go on and on. If you can change the way people think. The way they see themselves. The way they see the world. You can change the way people live their lives. That’s the only lasting thing you can create.”  Chuck Palahniuk

If you would like to learn more about Christopher and the Bachelor Kitchen, visit facebook.com/bachelorkitchen, send him an email at chris@bachelorkitchen.com, or check out his website, www.BachelorKitchen.com. We appreciate Christopher’s efforts in helping to revitalize Tuscaloosa. Christopher is a Tuscaloosa Hometown Hero, and we’re glad to consider him one of our own!

Click here to see photos of Christopher’s event:

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.107169292710852.13342.100002533447847

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